Clarence Bolt

Clarence Robert Bolt passed away peacefully at his home on April 24. He was born in Chicago in 1925 to Meinard and Angeline (Noorlaag) Bolt. His family moved to Nutley, NJ in 1927, where he attended Buxton High School on an athletic scholarship and graduated in 1943. Clarence then joined the Navy in 1944 as a radioman on a troop transport in the Pacific, and he was in the harbor across from the USS Missouri when the Japanese surrendered in 1945. After the war, Clarence attended Calvin College on the GI Bill. There, he met and married Margaret Hoolsema in 1949.

After they graduated from Calvin, Clarence and Margaret moved to Lansing in 1950. Clarence initially began the social work graduate program at MSU, but he left the program to work at Jackson Prison as a counselor. He was working there during the prison riot in April 1952. Since he was trusted by both sides, he was the go-between person during the negotiations. Not long after that, he switched to a career in real estate. He became an appraiser and was instrumental in appraising the land for many major highways in Michigan.

Clarence was a devoted husband to Margaret and a loving father to their 3 children. They attended 1st Christian Reformed church of Lansing which later became River Terrace Church of East Lansing. Clarence served many times as Deacon and Elder there, and he helped settle several Vietnam refugee families. In 1992, Clarence and Margaret moved to Holland. They renovated and moved into his mother's home on Lakewood Blvd near the lake and joined Harderwyk church. They spent winters on the east coast of Florida. Clarence continued to do appraisal work until he stopped working to care for Margaret, who had developed Alzheimer’s disease. Margaret died in 2006.

Clarence married Trina Kort in 2008. Together, they continued to enjoy summers on the Michigan lake, traveled extensively, and wintered in west Florida.

Clarence was preceded in death by his wife, Margaret, his brother, John Bolt, his brother-in-law, Robert Holsem, and his daughter, Carol Nikkel. He is survived by his wife, Trina, son John (Nancy) Bolt, daughter Marjorie (John) Hoekstra, son-in-law Steven (Mimi) Nikkel of Chattanooga, TN, several step children including John Kuyten, Rudy Kuyten, and Emma Nakajima, grandchildren Brian (Julie) Bolt, Andrew (Joanna) Bolt, Crystal Bultje (Mark Brown) of Grand Rapids, Joshua (Tori) Nikkel of Pinellas Park, FL, Jordan (Mary) Nikkel of Memphis,TN, Katherine Hoekstra, Elizabeth Hoekstra, great-grandchildren Aurora, Sophia, and Evelyn Nikkel, Isaac, Theodore, and Judah Bolt, and many step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am, Saturday, May 11, 2019 at Harderwyk Church, 1627 West Lakewood Blvd. in Holland. Rev. Phyllis Kort will be officiating. Burial was in Lakewood cemetery.

Visitation will be from 10-11 am prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Neighbors Plus in care of Harderwyk Ministries. Arrangements are by Dykstra Funeral Home – Northwood chapel.